Lignocellulosic biomass represents a renewable source of carbohydrate for biological conversion into fuels and chemicals and, as such, presents an attractive alternative to petroleum-based technology (Arntzen and Dale, 1999). It is recognized, however, that to reach its full potential, commodity production of ethanol from biomass will require high rates and efficiencies, simple processes, and inexpensive media (Ingram et al. 1998; Zhang & Greasham 1999).
Bacteria such as Escherichia coli have the native ability to metabolize all sugar constituents contained in lignocellulose.
To realize fully the potential of recombinant ethanologenic bacterial strains to serve as a source of ethanol, there is a need for new and improved strains of such bacteria that can efficiently produce ethanol.